Pressing iron



June 8, I954 M. VICTOR 2,680,313

PRESSING IRON Filed Aug. 9, 1950 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 5 H 'jvuavra/t 6 a EMT:

June 8, 1954 v c oR 2,680,313

PRESSING IRON Filed Aug. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 8, 1954 OFFICE PRESSING IRON Maurice Victor, London, England Application August 9, 1950, Serial No. 178,377

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 24, 1949 2 Claims.

This invention relates to pressing irons incorporating their own heating means such as an electrical resistance or gas heating means, and in which the iron has a weight bias at one end so that when hand pressure is released therefrom the sole of the iron will be moved upwards away from the work so that when the iron is not in use the sole will not make contact with the work.

An object of the present invention is to obtain a highly efficient counter-weighting means which has the effect of tilting the sole upwardly away from the work when hand pressure is released from the handle of the iron but which obviates embodying bulky or weight mass within the upstanding trailing part of the iron.

Another objectof, the present invention is to provide an iron with the said counter-weighting means and in which said means is so connected to the iron that it acts as a lever having a fulcrum point in close proximity to an insulated heel extension of the sole of the iron to enable a neat, compact and highly efi'icient tilting means and iron to be provided.

A further object of the invention is to provide the said counter-weighting means in a form in,

which it can be displaced relative to the iron into an operative position spaced rearwardly of the iron whilst the iron is in use for producing the aforesaid upward tilting of the sole when hand pressure is released from the handle of the iron but can be folded closer to the iron when the iron is to be put away out of use.

The aforesaid relative folding of-the counterweighting means can be obtained by suitably loading the free end of an arm pivoted to a trailing part of the iron. Also, if desired this pivoted arm may be adapted to actuate a switch when the iron is an electrically heated type so that the iron can only be connected to the source of electrical energy when the arm is swung to the position in which the counter-weighting means become effective for tilting the sole of the iron away from the work.

Other advantages and objects of the invention will be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings appended hereto and illustrating embodiments thereof, and wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevation view showing the foldable counter-weighting means collapsed to the out of use position but showing the manner in which it can be adjusted to the operative position in broken line, the manner of the tilting of the iron also being shown in broken line.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a broken sectional elevation also taken on the line III-III of Figure 1 but showing how the counter-weighted arm can be adapted to operate a switch, and; Figure 5 is a side elevation view of a modification in which an air gap is provided between the eel of the sole plate of the iron and the part on which the iron rests when tilted to the out-of-use position.

Referring to the drawings, the normal sole plate for engaging the work is indicated by the reference numeral 1 and comprises the base of a hollow body part 2 accommodating the heating means, this body part 2 having formed in prolongation therewith a relatively light hollow upwardly and rearwardly inclined trailing part 3, these parts 2 and 3 preferably being formed in curvilinear continuity with each other so as to obtain a clean streamlined effect of the total body of the iron. An insulating handle 4 bridges the parts 2 and 3, and this handle 4, as shown, is preferably formedsomewhat in continuity with the nose of the body part 2 and has a trailing portion which merges neatly into the rear part of the hollow portion 3.

The base of the trailing part 3 is closed by a cover plate 5 comprising the heel of the iron and composed of a material of low heat conductivity, and its lower or front corner 5' is slightly curved or bevelled to form a fulcrum point about which the iron will tilt when hand pressure is released therefrom following an ironing opera tion, whereby the iron will tilt to the position shown in broken lines and be supported upon the insulating plate 5. That is to say the lower or front corner of the plate 5 can form a fulcrum region about which the iron will tilt, and if desired the heel plate 5 and sole 1 can be shaped so as to merge neatly one into the other in continuity so that the said fulcrum region is formed at the junction of the heel plate 5 and sole I.

45 ,counterweightediron adapted to be tilted up- As distinct from the previously proposed wardly when hand pressure is released therefrom, the weighted mass to produce this tilting action is carried by means which enables the weighted mass to be situated well in rear of and above-the sole 1 without having an ungainly trailing portion 3. In the embodiment illustrated this result is obtained by locating the weighted mass within the free end of an arm 6 which is preferably of elongated U form so that it can be on the line III-III of folded neatly about the handle 4 in juxtaposition to the body part 2 when the iron is not in use.

The said elongated U-shaped arm 6 can be of any suitable cross-section and by way of convenience it is shown as being of tubular form, i. e. a length of metal tubing with its side limbs flattened as at fi to afiord good bearing surfaces to rock against bosses" 'formed on the side cheeks of the trailing part 3 in juxtaposition to the corner 5 of the heel plate 5, these bosses and the flattened parts of the arms receiving pivot pins 8 threaded into the bosses but having outer end parts formed cylindrically so that :the flattened parts 6 can rotate thereon as shown in Figure 3, the heads of the pins 8 securing the arm fi *in position.

The flattened parts 6' of the arm 6 man be solid as shown and united to the tubular part of the arm by any suitable means.

The counter-weighting means can be cast into the bend of the @U or :can :comprise a Ueshaped portion 6a across tubular or other suitable section side limbs'of the U-shaped arm 6,this U- shaped portion 6a being composed of via heavy metal of sufficient mass ito produce-the idesired counter-weight operation when ".the arm :5 is swung away fromiits ioldedvaway pos'ition tovsub- :stantially the position shown in broken line in Figure :1, the :movement :of the arm L6 .into (this operative position being limitedbyabutments 9 formed integral with the trailing portion 3. Spring :fingers "9 can trip "over the .U-shaped memberifi when folded back to the operative po sition to secure the arm against unintentional forward folding when in use.

If desiredthe swinging "movemento'f the arm 6 into the raised or operative position can be adapted to operate a switch :11! 'asshown-in Fig- 'ure 4, this switch :being accommodated within the housing portion 2 .and'operated from a finger or trigger member H or other "suitable means driven from one of the 'two pivot :pins which is indicated by the referenceznumeral 8, this particular "pivot'ipin .being journalledwithin theboss 1' and having asquare or other 1-suita'ble portion 8a. engaged in-a correspondingly shaped holein the appropriate limb 6 of 517118 arm G. Nuts I'2 can be threaded on the pin'8 'beyond the bosS l to locate the pin against axial displacement.

The cable for connecting the heating means to the source of electrical energy is carried through a flexible rubber :tube [3 "united to the upper portion of thetrailing parte.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5 an iron has its handle '5' :securelyeaffixed'to the iron only at the front end, the "trailing part .of the handle being flared into a :hee1 forming iiace 1410121 to which the iron is tilted when the -Ushaped counter-weight arm 5 takes charge :tilts the iron to the-out-of-use position. The armiis pivoted to fiat-faced bosses formed on the handle, a pivot pin or pair .of screws I5 passing through the vflattenedinner .ends ,6 of the arm .5. A-pair .of side webs l6 form riding surfaces ior thesflattened ends of the .arm ,6 and each wbihas a step I! to act as an abutment for the "arm, whilst each flattened portion 6' can be formed with a dimple l8 to trip into a shallow depression in the associated web to firmly locate the arm 6 in the operative position.

The heel forming trailing face IA of the handle 4 is shaped and directed relative to the sole I so as'fto .extend substantially in continuity with thetrailing radiused corner la of the-sole, complete continuity being avoided to afford a relatively narrow air gap l4 between the heel end 14 .of the handle and the corner la of the sole,

toensure adequate heat insulation when the iron is=ti1ted:ov.erson to the heel [4 under the influence of the weight 60.

*Lclaim 1. :Ina pressing iron a hand-grip handle extending from the toe of the iron to beyond the rear of the sole of the iron, an insulating heel provided on the rear ,face of said handle on which the iron is supported when hand pressure is releasedzfrom' theiron, .the said heel having an upwardly :and r'earwardly inclined face in substantial continuity with the sole of the -iron, 'a 'leverarm of'e'longated u form-pivoted at one end to oppositesides of theiron in juxtaposition to sa'idheel and-the rear of thesole, said leverarm being dimensioned to fold over the handle with its other end close "to the toe of the iron when the latter is out of use, and a counter weight carried by said other end of said lever arm so thatwhen the arm i's 'in use the counter-weighting mass is disposeda'bovethe handle and in rear of said heel, thereby caus'ing the iron 'totilt-on to said heel so as to raise the sole from the work when hand pressure is removed from the iron.

2. A pressing iron comprising a body part member, a sole :on said body part, an insulated jhandle -mernb'er'directlysecured at its front end 7 handle member extending upwardly and rear- 'wardly away from the rear or the sole so as to extend substantially in continuity with the sole and afiorda supporting surface on to which the iron will :rock and be supportedwhen hand pressure is released from the pressing iron, an upwardly and rearwardly directed lever arm connectedwith its lower end to the said rear part of said handle member, and a counter-balance weig'htat the upper end of the said arm and'hav- *ing a mass such that when hand pressure is released f-rom the iron 'it will tilt the iron so that *it'stands on said heel.

References Cited 'in the file :of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number :Name Date 1,247,907 Tu1ly. Nov. 27, 1917 1,675,084 Bailey June 26, 1928 1,964,923 Matveyefi .July 3, 1934 

